Celebrating 50 years of the RiverwaySt. Croix National scenic riverway

Celebrating 50 Years on the River

A lot can happen in fifty years, and things are only getting better for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. We want to continue the fun by preserving this national park and continuing to welcome the thousands of people who enjoy it every year. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Riverway, comprised of over 200 miles of the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers. Help us celebrate this momentous occasion! St. Croix River Association (SCRA), National Park Service (NPS), and other partners are planning some big festivities to commemorate the golden anniversary of this national treasure.

It all started on October 2, 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act into law, designating the St. Croix River and its tributary the Namekagon as one of the original eight rivers protected under the Act. The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act was created to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values for future generations. Learn more about the Riverway and its history on the National Park Service website.

History

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is the First Wild and Scenic River to be named a national park.

Photo credit: Minnesota Historical Society

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The St. Croix and Namekagon’s Wild and Scenic status puts us in the top echelon of America’s rivers. Less than one quarter of one percent – 12,734 miles – of the approximately 3.6 million miles of streams in the United States have received this level of protection.

The St. Croix River watershed covers 7,800 square miles in Minnesota and Wisconsin - roughly the size of New Jersey!

Impact

According to an annual National Park Service report, in 2016, over 708,000 visitors spent more than $30 million in our St. Croix Riverway communities and supported 473 local jobs.

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The Riverway is a premier destination thanks to its clean water, natural landscapes, breathtaking beauty, and abundant recreational opportunities - all in close proximity to a major metropolitan area.

Photo credit: NPS

Commemorating the Anniversary

The St. Croix River Association and Twin Cities PBS partnered with renowned filmmakers, John Kaul and Tom Reiter of Afton Films, to create this beautiful 27-minute documentary, The Wild and Scenic St. Croix, as a tribute to the St. Croix and Nameakgon Rivers: https://www.tpt.org/the-wild-and-scenic-st-croix/

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway was one of the original rivers designated as a national park under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This landmark legislation took enormous effort and commitment of visionary national leaders like Senator Gaylord Nelson and Vice President Walter Mondale, corporations like Northern States Power (which is now Xcel Energy), and communities and people along the Riverway.

A book from acclaimed photographer Craig Blacklock. The book, entitled The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway: The Enduring Gift, includes a foreword by Vice President Walter F. Mondale. Mondale and Senator Gaylord Nelson were instrumental in passing the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and protecting the St. Croix and Namekagon. For book reservations, please visit: https://stcroixphotography.com/

An exhibition in partnership with The Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI. The month-long exhibit, which opens on September 14th till October 21st, 2018 will feature a national juried show and works by Blacklock and Northern Clay Center alumni.

Other special activities include a research report, numerous pedal-paddle-hike adventures, speaking engagements, and an anniversary celebration on October 2, 2018, fifty years after President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark legislation.

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